Bittersweet day for Dane's dad

The father of a Sydney man, who became entangled with the destructive drug ice before his alleged murder, hopes other people realise the drug's danger.

Dane McNeill. (AAP)

Dane McNeill. (AAP)

Bittersweet - it's how Peter McNeill describes his feelings on the day that two people were arrested over the alleged brutal bashing, stabbing and murder of his son, Dane.

"It's just that little baby step to getting your life in the right direction," Mr McNeill told AAP on Wednesday.

Dane McNeill, 20, was missing for three days before his charred remains, believed to be stuffed in a suitcase, were found in a leafy reserve at Picnic Point in Sydney's southwest on July 21, 2014.

Homicide detectives swooped on a 24-year-old man in Bankstown on Wednesday morning and two hours later arrested a 24-year-old woman in Liverpool.

The man has been charged in relation to Dane's death and will appear in Bankstown Local Court later on Wednesday.

Mr McNeill was surrounded by family and friends as they reacted to the news.

He said the past six months had been incredibly difficult.

"I can count on two hands the only days I have gone without shedding a tear," he said.

"In the past six months Dane's friends and our family and total strangers have been bringing us so much good.

"It really shows you how much good is still in the world."

Dane would have celebrated his 21st birthday in March.

The former childhood ice-hockey star got mixed up with the drug ice in the six months before his death.

Last June, he pleaded guilty to a string of drug offences after police found him with the dangerous drug and he admitted to low-level dealing.

If anything can come from his son's death, Mr McNeill hopes it is a message about the dire impact of ice.

"I think it's really important the rest of the people out there realise the dangers of this drug," he said.

"He was a good boy mixed up in ice, it was out of his control basically."

It is understood Dane had only known the two people arrested on Wednesday for a few months.

Detectives have not ruled out further arrests.

It is alleged Dane was assaulted in Heckenberg on July 19 and kept captive overnight.

He was then moved to an address at Cartwright where he was allegedly bashed, stabbed and later died.

His body was taken to Picnic Point and allegedly set alight on July 21.

A council worker found his smouldering remains during his morning round.


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3 min read

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Source: AAP


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